[Apolipoprotein A-IV and transportation of cholesterol from smooth muscle cells in experimental hyperlipidemia]

The effects of apolipoprotein (apo) A-IV and apoA-IV/phosphatidylcholine (PC) liposome on cholesterol efflux from the smooth muscle cells originating from the aorta of hypercholesterolemic rabbit model and control rabbits, and on the activation of lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) were studied respectively. Both apoA-IV/PC and apoA-I/PC liposomes have similar efficiency as the HDL's, i.e. a strong ability to clear intracellular cholesterol and the ability to activate LCAT. There were no differences noticed on the clearance ability between apoA-IV and apoA-I or between apoA-IV/PC and apoA-I/PC liposomes. These results suggest that apoA-IV may play an important role in the process of reverse cholesterol transport and apoA-IV/PC liposome may be effectively used instead of natural HDL to prevent the development of atherosclerosis.